Thesis-based Writing (3/21)

To Do:

You will have until 6:05 to write Blog 6: Things I do Not Believe in Any More. See instructions below.

Last week, the class was brainstorming on connections to Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave." Here is one way to get you started thinking about how you can relate to Plato's notion of "coming out of the cave":

Blog 6: Make a list of ideas and facts you thought were true at some point in the past but you no longer do (for example, "Santa Claus"). For each item on the list, explain the change in your beliefs. What brought you to doubt the reality of something you used to believe true?

***

Today we will

• Read about and discuss thesis-based writing
• Review sample claims and theses in response to a CAT reading
• Work in groups to create a claim and a thesis for a second CAT reading
• Work individually to create a claim and a thesis for a third CAT reading 
• Reflect on what we have learned

I.  Understanding Thesis-based writing
We will read and discuss the information on pages 3-4 of your packet. Then we will re-read "How To do One Thing at a Time" (page 9) and examine and discuss the "Claim to Thesis" document below, which has a series of possible claims, reasons, and thesis statements that identify a significant idea and respond to it.

Claim to Thesis

II. Writing Claims and Theses

1. With your group, write a BOTH a simple claim AND a map thesis that identify a main idea in "Is Google Making Us Stupid?" (page 11) and respond to this main idea. Once the group is satisfied with the claim and the thesis, copy and paste them under your group section in the Google Docs below.

Google Docs: Group Work for "Is Google Making Us Stupid?"

2. On your own,  write a BOTH a simple claim AND a map thesis that identify a main idea in "I Know the Truth, so Don't Bother Me with Facts" (page 12). Copy and paste them under your section in the Google Docs below. 

Google Docs: Individual Work for "I Know the Truth, so Don't Bother Me with Facts."

3. I'll assign someone else in the class to evaluate your claim and thesis and give you feedback. For this person, please write a comment under that person's section that answers these three questions:

• What did you like about the claim and about the thesis?
• What was confusing about the claim and about the thesis?
• How would you have written this claim and this thesis?

4. Now go to your blog and create Blog 7: Reflecting on Thesis-based Writing. In this blog entry, please answer the following questions:

• What have you learned from the thesis-based writing class?
• How do you know that you have learned it?
• Can you describe how you learned it? 
• What helped your learning? What made it difficult?
• How do you feel after today's class?